West Virginia’s doctoral psychology programs strive to keep up with the regional and national demand for psychologists. That is why these programs offer prospective students a wide range of incentives that include options for part-time completion, unique areas of specialization, and attractive packages for financial assistance including scholarships, grants, and government-backed loans. Earning a doctoral degree in psychology allows students to reach their maximum professional potential.

Marshall University

College of Liberal Arts, Psychology Department

This department offers a full spectrum of degrees for psychology students, starting with a bachelor’s and moving to a master’s and doctoral program. Through the study of psychology, faculty impart a knowledge upon students about the scientific study of relationships, behavior, affect, and human cognition. Programs at all levels emphasize the importance of good research methodology. The department’s sole doctoral program is unique in offering a PsyD in clinical psychology with an emphasis on rural and under-served populations.

Clinical Psychology PsyD

The primary goal of this program is to prepare professional psychologists to provide their services, thereby improving the mental health of rural and other under-served communities. While graduates emerge from this program as highly skilled generalists, thanks to extensive research and field training, they are particularly attuned to the needs of West Virginians and rural Appalachia. Graduates who hold this degree typically become employed in service-oriented, applied positions that involve working directly with clients and supervising/training other professionals. Using the practitioner-scholar model as a basis, students are exposed to the clinical orientations of psychodynamism, integrative-behaviorism, and cognitive-behaviorism. Through practica, didactic courses, and a year-long internship, full-time bachelor’s prepared students can earn their degree in five years, and part-time students have up to seven years to complete their education.

Accreditation

The clinical psychology PsyD program is accredited by the APA’s Commission on Accreditation (CoA) and the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR).

Contact

Marshall University
Department of Psychology
One John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25755

West Virginia University

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology

Founded in 1867, this university has the distinction of being the state’s only land-grant research university. Every year approximately 2,000 students earn their degree through this college, which is constantly growing and adapting to meet today’s modern demands. As one of the most prestigious departments at the university, the Department of Psychology offers an undergraduate major in this field, and graduate programs that specialize in five areas of study. Of particular note is the department’s clinical psychology PhD program.

Clinical Psychology PHD

This doctoral degree is offered in either child clinical psychology or adult/general clinical psychology. Based on the scientist-practitioner/Boulder model, this program guides students along an academic path to become experts both at conducting empirical clinical research and providing applied clinical psychology techniques. Students complete three to four years of didactic course work, research, and clinical practica. This is followed by a final year-long APA-accredited internship. Most students complete their education in six years or less, and over the past decade 87 percent of graduates chose to become professionally licensed after earning their degree. Examples of recent internship sites include VA medical centers, university psychology departments, state health care systems, and university medical centers.

College of Education and Human Services, Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling and Counseling Psychology

This department is proud to train professionals who are qualified to work with a variety of clients in a multitude of settings. The department is part of what was originally the university’s College of Education, established in 1927 by an order from the state’s Board of Governors. This department shares its space in the college with four other departments. Its faculty possess three overarching qualities: national reputations in their fields, excellent teaching, and a strong dedication to their students. Faculty share in professional development activities with their students, which means joint presentations at conferences, cooperative community service, and mentorships in scholarly activities.

Counseling Psychology PHD

Graduates of this program are prepared to facilitate the improvement of personal and interpersonal functioning across a client’s or group’s lifespan. Students focus on psychological concerns that relate to organizational, developmental, emotional, vocational, social, educational, and health-related topics. This program adeptly integrates theory, research, and practice, and is in the midst of developing an emphasis in military psychology in addition to the normal breadth of clientele from all ages and cultural backgrounds. The program starts by developing a foundation in advanced clinical psychology through core didactic courses, and then proceeds through multiple practica, qualifying exams, a pre-doctoral year-long internship, and finally a doctoral dissertation project. On average, students graduate from this program in about six years, and from 2005-2013 79 percent of students chose to become professionally licensed after graduation.

Accreditation

The clinical psychology PhD program is accredited by the APA’s Commission on Accreditation (CoA) and the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR).

The counseling psychology PhD program is accredited by the APA’s Commission on Accreditation (CoA) and the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR).

Students in West Virginia have two attractive options when it comes to choosing a doctoral program clinical psychology, and also benefit from a highly regarded doctoral program in counseling psychology. The state’s programs offer tailored instruction regarding rural and under-served populations, especially those that are unique to West Virginia. Students who earn their doctoral degree in psychology are prepared for successful careers that allow them to develop their maximum potential and range of professional options. This includes placement at government agencies, academia as research and faculty members, hospitals, clinics, schools, and in private practice.